Sunday DIY: Nurture young Picassos

Is there an aspiring artist at your place? Greig Morgan has just the thing.

DIY painting easel. Photo / Michael Craig

Youngsters love splashing paint around so budding Picassos should have an easel to create those masterpieces. Think of it as an investment. A small outlay now in materials and time and, in a couple of years, you'll be selling their works for a small fortune to art galleries all over the world.

Step 1 - Measure and mark the 40x20mm pine, using a square. Cut four pieces to length on the waste side of the pencil line (I cut mine 1m long).

Step 2 - Measure and cut your sheet of 1200x600mm MDF in half, giving you two 600x600mm boards, one for both sides.

Step 3 - Place the legs flush at either side of the board and flush at the top. Fix three evenly spaced 25mm screws just below the surface.

Step 4 - Measure and cut the shelf to the same width as your back board.

Step 5 - Fix the shelf from the back, on the same side as the leg fixings, and flush to the bottom of the board.

Again, space the screws evenly.

Step 6 - Position and fix the leaf of the hinges to the top of each leg, with the knuckle sitting proud. Use the appropriate screws.

Step 7 - Pencil mark and drill a 5mm hole in the centre of each leg just below the shelf, for the string to go through. Tie a knot at one end and determine the angle of the legs before tying off the length of string.